Lives of the Elite
by Innocentenough
Summary: A collection of one-shots and drabbles on the lives of Konoha's most unlikely but elite couple. NejixSakura
1. Heat

I have a random collection of stories that I've started and never finished or have only ever been one chapter so I thought, hey why not create a story full of one-shots and ideas that pop into my head but never really amount to much…

So, here's the first one.

Enjoy!

xox

The heat of the sun beat down across his shoulders, the summer sun a constant catalyst in his ever growing discomfort; he was more of a winter person, really. The sky was clear and blue, its vast expanse a looming presence over his everyday life as he trained, worked and taught, the routine becoming ever more repetitive and dull. Was this life? Was this all it was? When he was younger the idea of being an adult could not come quickly enough. He adored the idea of having his independence and freedom from the clan, being able to make his own decisions for his own well being. But now he was here and it was happening, it was not all it had cracked up to be. They taught you how to fight and the academics behind the ninja way of life at the academy, but they didn't teach you how to manage your money, finance your life or organise your thoughts in a coherent way that made sense. They didn't teach you how to deal with grief, heartbreak, stress and the fear that comes with gaining your independence. You have to stumble through all of that on your own. He was literally crashing his way through adulthood and hoping to come out the other end in one piece.

It had been a waste of time, in his opinion.

He was currently sat under the shade of a large oak tree in one of the bigger training grounds in Konoha's forests. He was bent over, one elbow propped on his knee as he rested his chin into his hand, the other arm lay over his opposite thigh and held his cold water flask, nearly empty now as he'd drained most of it during his training session with team twelve. His gaze was glassy and distant, his mind completely lost within his wandering thoughts as he rested in between bouts of fights with his kin. At the thought of them his eyes flickered around, watching intently as Tenten parried with Sasuke, helping him train with his now one arm as she tested him with his new and much lighter sword she had managed to find over in rain country on a mission. Neji noted the man's footwork, making a note to show him the Hyuuga's circling technique in the hopes that it would make the man's life a little easier; only having one arm put you slightly off balance.

But he really didn't like Sasuke.

After everything that had happened and all the shit he had put them through, it was a miracle that Tsunade hadn't thrown him in the dungeons when he returned to Konoha after the war. Everyone else had moved on, not necessarily forgiving him but trying to get on with their lives without the drama of the past. Tenten often reminded him of that when he was grumbling about the broody, dark haired male and he'd have to huff in agreement but it still made his hair stand on end in annoyance; the man had caused so much pain and heart ache in his friends that he was surprised he hadn't killed him, himself already.

A dark thought, but nonetheless true.

He discarded the grumpy nin from his mind, his pearlescent gaze finding Naruto's bright orange jumpsuit as he multiplied a few times and threw a rasengen at Lee, the young Gai jumping and dodging to the best of his ability as he removed his weights and darted across the training grounds, giving Naruto a literal run for his money. He smiled as he watched Lee and his unorthodox way of fighting; it was refreshing and a welcome change to the usual demeanour of fighting a Hyuuga. He was itching to learn something new, something exciting. He of course owed all of his talent and skill to his bloodline, but he had reached a point in his life now where he needed something else. He had met all his goals and surpassed them by miles and as satisfying as that was he was left feeling rather lost and empty.

What should he do now?

His vision suddenly found pink and his heart fluttered at the sight as he watched her. She was currently training with his cousin, her pink hair a vibrant halo around her head as she stood behind Hinata and placed her fists in the right position, correcting her posture as she circled the younger woman, her vivid green eyes flickering back and forth between Hinata's fists and hips as she tried to gain the right balance of strength and agility. She was teaching her chakra control to improve on her strength for close combat situations. It was fascinating to watch, but instead of eyeing her teachings he instead found a droplet of sweat, its journey starting at her forehead and gently running the length of her face, passing by her lips as she licked them gingerly, trying to keep them from drying under the intense Konoha sun. He swallowed, watching as it passed over her chin and he waited in anticipation as he found it again delving in and out of the contours of her neck and collarbone, until it disappeared between the bindings of her chest.

She had discarded her red jacket hours ago, the heat of the day becoming too much for her and it left her in only a short black crop top with her bindings showing slightly above and below the hem of it. His eyes became glassy again as he watched her, taking his time as he let them wander down the flat expanse of her stomach to where her skirt dug into her hips slightly before leading his eye down to her mid-thigh, her skin shining under the midday sun.

He was staring now and he knew it, but he couldn't resist as he watched her move, her muscles tensing under the layers of skin as she danced around his cousin. Her movements were surprisingly nimble despite her vast amount of strength and he couldn't help himself as his eyes fixated on her curves, her mouth and now her backside as she bent over into a defensive stance, flashing her black shorts in his direction as her skirt flicked up in response to the movement.

Forest green caught lilac silver as she glanced over her shoulder at him and he suddenly realised that the movement had been on purpose.

She knew he had been watching.

She quickly ended her battle, patting Hinata on the shoulder and conversing with her on something that Neji couldn't overhear, even with his keen senses. She then turned and started walking towards him, her hips sauntering ever so slightly as if she was enjoying the idea of taunting him. He didn't avert his gaze however, and matched her own stare with equal heat and passion as she came to a stop in front of him and leant over.

To anyone else it would of looked like she was merely taking his bottle and having some of his water, which is exactly what she was doing, but as she bent she turned her head close to his and whispered, "Staring is rude, you know?"

He merely gave her a small smile, "Sorry. Nasty habit."

She grinned as she wiped her mouth and handed his now empty water bottle back to him, "Are we still on for later?"

They had kept their intimate relationship a secret from the rest of the gang. Mostly as they were enjoying the privacy of it all and of course because if word got out that they were sleeping with each other then it would inevitably turn into more than it actually was and the drama of dealing with gossip was not something that they both wanted to deal with.

It had started innocent, a drunken night after a successful mission where they both satisfied the growing tension between them. He had walked her home from the bar and kissed her goodnight and never left again, stumbling into her apartment in a tangle of limbs and half undone clothes. From then, she had sought him out next. Climbing through his open balcony doors one evening and not leaving again until morning. The following months after that consisted of stolen kisses in tight closets out of sight or quick misgivings against a tree on missions, Sakura returning to base camp with bark up her back and bruised lips.

He eyed her carefully, his gaze becoming heated as she squirmed under his intense stare, "My place?" He murmured, his eyes flickering to the training ground to see everyone starting to end their sessions, "Half the clan is away on business."

She purred, _"Perfect."_

"Hey, Neji! Sakura!", Kiba called, waving them over, "We're going to the bath houses. Ya comin'?"

They both nodded, collecting their things before walking out from under the shade and into the harsh heat of the summer sun.

"I think I'd prefer a cold shower," Neji grumbled, sighing.

Sakura chuckled, "You can have as many as you want later."

"What time are you coming?"

"Well, I don't know, " She whispered, "that depends on how long it takes you." She grinned, watching the implications of her words dance across his face.

 _"Temptress,"_ he growled, glancing over at their friends who all had they're backs turned and were walking ahead towards the village. He took the opportunity to reach out and brush a hand over her lower back, bending over and stealing a quick kiss before straightening and jogging over to join their friends and in particular his old team.

Obsidian black orbs watched on as Sakura flushed under the attention before picking up the pace and joining the group.

Kakashi sighed heavily, going back to reading his book as he leat back against the trunk of the tree, one leg swinging down over the side of the thick branch.

 _"Bloody kids..."_

xox

R+R!


	2. Muffin Man

These are so random but It feels nice to have a place to put the one-shots instead of discarding them!

Anyway, enjoy!

xox

Haruno Sakura loved to cook.

It wasn't something that she got to do often and she wasn't necessarily good at it; she had poisoned and healed Naruto more times than she could count, but she enjoyed the therapeutic nature of stirring a pot or mulling over recipes sprawled out across her sofa under warm blankets as the winter weather battered against the glass of her windows.

Which is exactly what she was currently doing.

She chewed on her lips as she flipped through a dessert recipe book she had borrowed from Hinata, struggling to try and figure out whether she should bake banana muffins, chocolate brownies or simply bury the book beneath her cushions and give up all together. She huffed, frustrated with herself; she had been at the hospital today doing her rounds and had been perusing her files only to come across one for Hyuuga Neji. She had glanced at all of his credentials only to suddenly notice the date on the top of the file.

It was his birthday.

 _Dam Hyuuga,_ keeping things like that quiet.

She had rushed round to Hinata's straight after work and begged for her to browse the shelves in her kitchen for something she could bake. When asked she had bluffed and told the young woman that she was practising for christmas which was just around the corner; for some reason, admitting to the purple haired nin that she had a school girl crush on the handsome Hyuuga was too much to bare. Instead, she had kept that little nugget of information to herself and hadn't even told the likes of Tsunade or Ino. That in itself was too risky as both women enjoyed to gossip.

She huffed again and grabbed her cup of mint tea off the coffee table ahead of her, glancing at the clock on the wall and noticing the time was now seven in the evening. She gripped the cup slightly tighter as the thought of Neji in his hospital room all on his own on his dam birthday made her chest ache with guilt; the least she could do was celebrate with him.

With her resolve hardened and her decision made, she threw back the throw covering her legs and padded her way into the kitchen, eyeing the groceries and baking ingredients that lined her kitchen surfaces. She had picked up every possible ingredient on her way home and she was now stuck with the decision on what on earth to bake. She decided to start with the banana muffins and go from there.

It couldn't be too hard, _right?_

xox

Neji sighed softly as he settled back into the pillows of his bed and propped the book in his lap, greedily reading its pages as the story finally hit its crescendo and he got swept away into the fantasy world of the authors mind. A cold breeze was threatening to creep into his room through the windows next to his bed and he growled in annoyance as he gently lay the book aside and gingerly moved his aching body so that he could stand and close it. He grimaced as his shoulder screamed in frustration at being moved, the wound and stitches tugging painfully as he padded over to the glass and gently slid the panel shut.

He had his own room this time, thank the gods.

Due to his status within Anbu he was often assigned his own space when he came in with injuries or was recovering from surgery, but occasionally he would get lumped with one of his old team mates or some other poor sod from Anbu and he would have to suffer through their bleak attempts at conversation with him when all he really wanted to do was sleep. The room itself was small, but enough space for his bed, a bedside table and a comfortable chair that sat the other side amongst all of the necessary medical equipment. The soft beep of his heart monitor was surprisingly soothing to him and he let out a gentle sigh as he settled back into the pillows. He picked up his book and placed it back into his lap, settling down beneath the soft light of his lamp ready to read when he noticed the small bouquet of flowers and still unopened card that sat stubbornly beneath the vase.

He had woken up to them both that evening and even though he knew who they were from, he still refused to open it.

His birthday was not something to be celebrated.

His old team mates thought otherwise apparently and he knew that Tenten would give him an earful if he didn't comply with Lee's and Gai's demands to constantly be a part of his life. He begrudgingly lifted his good hand and grabbed the card, ripping open the envelope deftly with his index finger he pulled the card from its paper home and lifted it to eye level, his eyebrow twitching at the crudely drawn picture on the front.

It was supposed to be a picture of him.

As a chibi.

He mewled in embarrassment before flipping open the front and scanning the contents inside.

He stopped, blinking in shock at the inside of the card; it was jam packed full with messages.

It seemed that Tenten had outdone herself this year, recruiting every possible person she could to write little messages, each uniquely distinguishable by they're scrawling handwriting. He even spotted his uncles neat loops amongst Naruto's child like scribbles and he felt the beginnings of a smile twitch his lips as he scanned over each message carefully, analysing the words and cementing them to memory, occasionally chuckling at someones bleak attempt at a joke.

Neji had never been very fond of his birthday. Not because he was stubborn and arrogant like the Uchiha, nor was it because he didn't enjoy the attention, it was because it was always a stark reminder that he had lost so many of the people that he loved. His extended family within the Hyuuga's were a comfort of sorts as Hinata and Hanabi were like his sisters rather than his cousins, but even their love couldn't fill the empty void left behind by his parents. An image of his mother and father flashed across his vision and his chest instantly ached at the sight, wishing that they were here to celebrate with him. He often imagined what it would have like; would his mother of made a cake whilst his father sat with him and opened presents? Would they of sung happy birthday to him and clapped when he blew out the candles?

Team twelve were his rock, no matter how much he complained about them he loved them in equal amounts, and he knew that even though for them signing his card was probably not even thought twice about, he would cherish it forever, as it was the first true happy moment he had felt on his birthday.

He was jolted from his thoughts by a rather loud knock on his door. He frowned as he stared at the clock on the wall, noting the late hour and as he opened his mouth to allow them to enter.

"Yes?" he flicked the book shut out of habit.

What he wasn't expecting, was Haruno Sakura's pink mop to appear from behind the door.

"You're awake!" She beamed, stumbling into the room and shutting it noisily behind her, balancing a large basket in one hand with a bottle of champagne in the other, a balloon haphazardly tied to the neck of it. It bounced harmlessly off her face as she turned to greet him, her cheeks stretched and her teeth shining as she grinned at him.

"Happy Birthday!"

He blinked, his mouth opening in shock as a sound close to disbelief escaped his throat. He watched as she batted the balloon away and flopped down into the chair, quickly catching the basket before it toppled over onto the floor.

"Errrr..." He started, trying to form a sentence but his chest had tightened and his throat was closing up at the sight of her.

Gods she was _beautiful._

"So, I'm not much of a baker," she started, placing the basket in his lap as she removed the dish towel covering it with a flourish, "And I wasn't sure what you're favourite flavour was so I just made a whole bunch and hopefully one of them is ok…"

He stared at her, flabbergasted. His wide gaze landed on the large basket of baked goods as the smell of freshly baked cake wafted up his nose and into his already grumbling stomach; hospital dinners had never been particularly appetising. His fingers instantly found the chocolate muffins as he picked one out and brought it to eye level. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, not moving his head as he eyed her cautiously.

"You made these?"

She nodded enthusiastically, fumbling with the foil around the cork of the champagne bottle as she produced two glasses. "I'm pretty terrible at cooking, but baking is easy!" She smiled again, her good mood starting to become infectious.

"I don't mean to cause offence..." He mumbled, lowering the muffin gently but not letting go of it, "But... what are you doing here?"

The silence that ensued made him instantly regret the question.

"Well, " She started awkwardly, still fiddling with the foil of the champagne top as she started to peel it from the glass, "I noticed it was your birthday when I was going through your chart this morning and I felt bad because you would be spending it in here on your own." She successfully removed the foil and got to work on the cork, "It's no fun if you don't have someone to celebrate with!" She grinned before yelping in shock as the cork flew across the room and bounced off of the opposite wall, landing in Neji's now full lap. She laughed, grabbing the two glasses as she generously filled them.

"Should I be drinking?" Neji asked, raising an eyebrow as she passed him a glass.

She scoffed, waving a hand at him, "The antibiotics you're on are fine to drink with, don't be a _pansy!"_

He frowned at her use of phrasing, begrudgingly accepting the drink and staring at the bubbles that rose up to greet him. He was so overwhelmed he honestly didn't even know what to say. He had never been particularly close with the Haruno and their relationship was a strange one in that they would drunkenly flirt with each other or make passing jokes if they crossed paths, but apart from that they had never spent any considerable time together. So the fact that she was here, at ten o'clock in the evening wanting to celebrate his birthday was something that was completely above his level of knowledge when it came to women; they were a confusing bunch of humans.

"Well, thank you." He gave her a rare smile as he tapped his plastic glass against her awaiting one and took a sip of the beverage.

"So, tell me," She started, "what actually is your favourite flavour?" She gestured to the cakes, "Put me out of my misery?"

He smiled, "I'm afraid it's a bit conventional." He lifted the chocolate muffin and pointed it at her, "Chocolate."

She grinned, her rosy cheeks not going unnoticed by him, "Me too! Although I'm a fan of anything strawberry flavoured as well, which Naruto gives me hell for because of my hair colour-"

He listened to her as she rambled, taking a bite of the muffin and admiring its sweet taste and fluffy texture; she was a terrible cook, but baking seemed to be a forte of hers. He had heard tales from the Uchiha and Naruto of how she would force them to try her latest dish and end up crawling back to her hours later to be cured of whatever poisoning she had given them. She had always been good at baking, from as early as he could remember she had baked goods for everyones birthdays, so it really shouldn't be a surprise that she had turned up here with cake, its just that she hadn't done it in years and he felt like he was such an odd choice for her to choose to start doing it again for.

"- oh, you have a card! Whose it from?" She smiled, picking the card up from his lap and flicking it open. Her smile faltered slightly as she saw everyones signatures and she frowned as she grabbed her hand bag and fished around in it, searching for a pen.

"Sorry, I would have signed it had I of known..." She grumbled, twisting it sideways so she could write along the small gap that ran up the side of the card.

"I think Team Gai just got everyone they could find," Neji started, trying to appease her sudden change in mood, "I wouldn't take it personally."

"There!" She was grinning again as she passed him back the card, a small pink heart sat next to her curled signature and Neji felt his chest flutter slightly at the sight of it.

"Arigatou," He smiled, placing the card upright onto his bedside table.

"So how's the cake?" She asked, taking a sip of her champagne as she leant forwards and broke a chunk off of the muffin in his hand, popping the bite sized piece and smiling slyly at the look of disgust on his face.

"Half gone now." He grumbled, glancing down at the basket and noticing, to his delight, two more chocolate muffins staring up at him.

"Who knew Hyuuga Neji had a sweet tooth?", she grinned.

He tried to lift the basket off of his lap to place it gently on to the floor only to wince as his injured arm smarted in pain. Sakura was there in an instant, lifting it for him and placing it by her chair before leaning right over him and brushing a chakra, green hand over his sore shoulder. Her sudden closeness made his nerves stand on end as her hair fell from where she had tucked it behind her ear and brushed gently over the top of his chest. He inhaled to try and relax himself but instead caught the scent of whatever perfume she had sprayed on and was quintessentially _her._ His eyes fluttered shut slightly at the nostalgia and the soothing effect her chakra was currently having on his injuries.

"Better?" She murmured, rising slightly to catch his eyes.

He slid one open and nodded lightly, "Arigatou."

A moment of silence descended across the room as she didn't start moving like he half expected, but instead stayed put, her vivid green eyes boring into his own. Their breath mingled as she raised her head even further, her hand lingering on his shoulder, the green chakra now gone as she let her fingers slip gently to rest on the bare skin of his arm. He felt goosebumps rise at the touch and he wondered what on earth was happening and how this moment had come to pass between them when the only other time they flirted was with a drink in a dingy bar somewhere in the depths of Konoha.

Sakura's heart fluttered as she stared into the pearlescent depths of her current crush. Well, current was probably an _understatement_ considering how long she had harboured feelings for the man, but she wasn't willing to easily admit that as Ino had found out. The blondes words of encouragement rang throughout Sakura's mind, _"Nothing will happen if you don't act upon your feelings, forehead! Whats the worse he'll say? No?"._ She was true, of course, despite her personality Ino had a good gut instinct about most things which was why Sakura held her advice at such high value. She cleared her throat gently, hoping that she wasn't stepping on the Hyuuga's boundaries.

"Neji-san?" She murmured gently, averting her gaze for the first time as she became suddenly shy and elusive, a pink blush tickling her cheeks.

He swallowed thickly, "Hai?"

"You know how we've been ... _side stepping_ around our mutual ... _interest_ for a while now."

Her choice of words didn't go missed on him and he decided to remain silent to see where she would go with it.

She lifted her gaze, her eyes half lidded as she tilted her head to avoid his nose and gently pressed her lips against his.

It was soft at first, a tease of what was to come as her velvet lips brushed softly against his curved ones. He froze for what felt like an eternity, his eyes wide with shock as he stared down at her closed ones, almost going cross eyed with the effort. At last his emotions caught back up with him and he felt his eyes close as he too tilted his head and their lips finally slid into place.

Sakura's heart sang with joy as he pressed his mouth firmly back against hers, not pushing her away like she had imagined so many times in her head. She felt his bandaged hand run up the length of her back before gripping the back of her head and pulling her closer, massaging her mouth with his own in a way that made her knee's week and her chest ache, a pool of pleasure growing deep within the pit of her stomach as she gripped his shoulders to steady herself.

 _God's he was a good kisser._

They got lost in a tangle of limbs and cloth, Sakura moving to sit in his lap, scrunching his bedsheets on either side of her thighs as she straddled his hips, her arms winding around his neck as his found her waist and gripped it tightly, eliciting a mewl of pleasure from the back of her throat. The half eaten chocolate muffin rolled from where it was getting squashed in his lap, bouncing off of the bed and landing in a burst of crumbs across the porcelain white floor, forgotten and unwanted amongst this new found pleasure.

Neji smiled to himself; he get used to his visits to the hospital if they all ended like this.

xox

R+R!


	3. Night Vision

Sorry if there is spelling or grammar mistakes, I'm really tired…

Anyway, enjoy this little one shot! I will be updating Silver Lining next!

xox

A sky of black carpeted the scene above them, stretching out across the abyss like a sheet pulled across its mattress, a view of pure silence encompassing her vivid green eyes as she blinked and stared in wonder at the scene above her, her heart swelling at the trip in beat that interrupted her waking dreams as she stared and _stared_ at the glittering mass of stars. A rare but welcome sight whilst in the midst of returning home from a mission.

She sighed heavily, enjoying the moment of bliss as she glanced ahead of her, eyeing the nin that sat silently at her side. She had helped amongst the chaos of their fight, putting herself in danger as she desperately pumped her life force into him, her green chakra saving his very essence as she poured every ounce of her emotion into keeping his beating heart a constant thump in her life. She had saved him, and it had been a debt never to be repaid as she spent her life in the hospital and he spent his out in the field defending their village against countless foes; It was a surprise that he came back in one piece every time, in her opinion.

Her orbs were cat like as she flickered her sight to the other sleeping nin beneath her, reflecting the light of the moon in a sickly hue of yellow as she eyed their tents carefully, watching as the dark shapes against the fabric of the tents remained completely still, a sign of their deep sleep after such a huge exertion of physical energy and chakra; their enemy had been a strong one this time.

It was just her and Neji left awake, both on early night watch incase anything happened, even though they were well within Konoha borders by now and we're mostly safe, you could never be too careful. She glanced at him as he ran into her thoughts, watching his profile as he scanned the horizon line, his bloodline activated as he carefully worked his way through the landscape. She wondered what it was like for him to be able to see miles into the distance; _did it put him off kilter? Did he feel dizzy after?_ Not having a bloodline of her own often made her jealous of clan members abilities, even though she was Tsunade's prized student.

Silver flickered to green and she felt her cheeks heat slightly at being caught staring. She merely graced him with a small smile and glanced back out at the view to the right of her, her back pressed against the trunk of the tree as her legs swung either side of the large branch that they were currently keeping watch from

"Are we all safe?" She murmured, eyeing the twinkling lights of Konoha in the distance, it's large wall's visible through the forest.

He gave her an almost invisible nod, "Naruto is still up."

She raised her eyebrows at him, casting her gaze back to the lights in the distance, her mind wandering as she pondered on his ability, "You can really see that far?"

He nodded casually, as if used to the idea of his skills as a nin. He let a small smile creep across his lips as he continued to watch the far distance, "He knows I'm watching him."

Her eyes widened, catching the light of the full moon, _"How?!"_

"The Kyuubi can sense it, I would imagine."

"Fascinating..." She murmured.

A chuckle escaped his lips, "He's giving me the finger."

Sakura snorted in response, "The same old Naruto."

"Well, it was in my general direction so I presume it was for me. Unless Uncle is teasing him again."

She merely sighed, leaning back against the tree again as she stared out at the vast expanse of forest that stretched out between themselves and their home; sometimes she just couldn't be bothered to travel on foot.

"It's not far now," Neji murmured, catching her train of thought, "and then we have a whole week off to rest."

She chuckled, nudging him playfully with her foot, "You'll be bored!"

He smiled sadly in response, "I suppose."

She stared at him for a while whilst he stared out at their surroundings, wondering on whether or not he really was as lonely as he often was perceived to be. Her head tilted slightly as she watched, her eyes hooded and mellow as she chewed on the nail of her thumb, her short pink hair falling over her opposite shoulder as she mulled over the thought. He was a rather attractive enigma for her that she had recently had the _absolute_ pleasure of defiling; sex always felt like such a dirty act to her. Dirty in a good way, of course. It had been something she had thought about for a while now, but not something she had ever imagined would come to fruition, but low and behold one evening they had both returned from a rather gruelling yet successful mission in the cold darkness of night where he had offered for her to use the Hyuuga baths instead of the communal ones. She had readily accepted, of course, and one thing simply led to another where by she found herself flat on her back on the warm stones of the baths with his lips and hands assaulting her body in a way that made her back arch and her mouth gape. She had awoken the following morning tangled in his bed sheets and with a chaste kiss goodbye she took her leave and bolted to the Hokage office to hand in her report before returning to the safety of her apartment and burying her head into her pillows.

They had simply carried on as normal after that, like nothing had ever happened, making Sakura almost believe that the whole thing had been a rather vivid dream.

The lasting sensations of pleasure between her legs that day had proven her wrong, however.

Yet here they were, two weeks later and not a peep about the incident had left Neji's lips. She stewed over this for a while, letting her thoughts run away from her as she got caught up in her emotions. Being this close to him was torture after a mind blowing night; _dam him_ and his beautiful hands.

"They're all asleep," he gestured loosely with his head to the three tents that littered the forest floor beneath them.

She glanced down, nodding, "I'm not surprised, it was a tough fight."

He glanced at her, his bloodline still activated, "Yes, quite."

Silence ensued and she shifted uncomfortably, wondering whether or not he would bring up her saving his life or whether it would be they're heated night the other week; the tension in the air was growing thicker by the minute.

She couldn't figure out which would be more difficult.

"Sakura-san..."

Her name rolled off his tongue, "Hai?" Her heart thumped in her chest.

"Naruto's waving at you,"

Her chest fell; she was certain he was going to mention their night together. She sighed, raising her hand as she waved back half-heartedly in the general direction of Konoha. Neji chuckled, deactivating his bloodline as they settled down to rest.

"What did he do?"

"You don't want to know," he replied quickly.

She snorted, her eyes half lidded as she gazed at him. The beauty of being a Haruno was that her humility and dignity was always intact, therefore allowing her to embark into embarrassing situations with _gusto._ The opportunity was too easy to pass up and she had given him fourteen solid days to bring the matter up with her, which was more than enough time in her opinion.

She stretched one of her legs out across the branch, her booted foot sliding across the bark as she gently brought it up to rub against the cloth of his thigh and finally land in his lap. She felt his muscles tense as he stiffened on the branch, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes as he shifted his weight slightly beneath the new addition to his weight. He felt his heart speed pick up at her sudden forwardness, a mild sweat starting to brew across his brow as he wondered on whether or not she was trying to bring up their night together a few weeks ago. He had avoided the topic for the only reason necessary; it was awkward. Sure, he'd made a move and she'd gone with it, but he wasn't expecting to feel emotions about it. He generally was pretty stoic and forward when it came to most things; Hinata often said he was too blunt but his forwardness, but it had always been appreciated by his fellow teammates. Well, at least _he_ thought it was. He was jumped from his thoughts by the wiggle of her toes across his thigh and he glanced at her again, admiring her from under the bright glare of the full moon.

She was in a halo of light that scattered through the gaps in the canopy of the tree, it's leaves casting bouncing shadows off of the curves of her shoulders and upper torso as she leant back and admired him beneath a hooded gaze. Her eyes shone fluorescent as she tilted her head slightly and the cat like manor to her forest green orbs made the hair on the back of his neck stand up; their intense reflectivity had always unnerved him. She was practically lounging now, her back pressed against the thick bark of the tree, one leg slung over its side whilst the other was currently the source of mild discomfort in his lap. Her arms were crossed beneath her chest, pushing her bosom up until he saw the peak of them beneath her red jacket that had been unzipped slightly to relieve some of the summer heat. Her hair was half tied at the back of her head, strands had fallen free during battle and on the journey home and due to their constant traveling she hadn't bothered to rearrange it; he rather liked how it framed her face, making the shadows beneath her cheek bones seem deeper and the flush of her cheeks seem almost highlighted by the bright pink hue of her unruly strands. A small grin was playing about her lips and Neji felt his cheeks warm slightly in response.

She had looked in a similar state laying beneath him that fateful night.

He cleared his throat, "What are you doing?"

She played innocent, batting her lashes, "Nothing. Why?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Her cheeks flushed a brilliant shade of pink as one of his large hands grazed her calf muscle, his eyes still glued to hers as his fingers grazed up the muscles and rested gently atop her knee. A small grin stretched his cheeks as he watched her flush beneath his ministrations. He was accustomed to women making a move on him but it was rare that he often gave it in return and he found it odd yet exciting that it was now Sakura on the receiving end of his affections.

She shifted slightly in response, "What are _you_ doing?"

He mimicked her earlier expression, his eyebrows raised in mock naivety, "Nothing. _Why?"_

She felt her mouth twist into a smile; she had forgotten how sarcastic his sense of humour was. "Tease." She grinned.

He moved suddenly, using his hands to shift along the branch so that he was now sat directly in front of her, his legs swinging either side of the large limb as he tilted his head back slightly and smiled down at her, his shadow looming over her form as she felt herself shrink back at his sudden close proximity. His eyes sparkled in the spattering moonlight that littered their surroundings, making the lilac flecks stand out against they're starkly white background as she gazed up at him intently, admiring every little detail that surrounded those perfect, sole stealing eyes. His cheeks were chiseled and he had a strong jaw line complimented by the straight lines of his nose. He had grown incredibly handsome over the years, taking to slowly wearing more Anbu and nin gear rather than the baggy, traditional clothes of the Hyuuga clan. He had also started wearing his hair up in a high ponytail rather than in its usual loose style with a few strands falling around his face, the dark hue making the pale pink of his skin almost glow in the night.

She flushed.

He was like a drug; _addictive._

He leant forwards even further, his eyes never leaving hers as he placed a large hand on the bark above her head, the other moving so that it rested on the branch right next to her hip, his skin barely brushing hers as he exhaled gently, his eyes glassy and distant as he let them roam over her body before he glanced back up to meet her gaze again.

"About the other night..."

The words had barely left his lips before hers were suddenly upon them. His heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened as his thoughts flew back to the night they had spent together, the velvet of her skin was making his spark, goosebumps rippling across its surface as he removed one of his hands and clasped the back of her head, finally closing his eyes as he kissed her back heatedly.

"Errr... Sakura? Neji?"

They froze, lips still locked but eyes wide open. Neji broke the contact gently but remained close to her, their lips barely touching as they inhaled and exhaled each others breath.

"Are you guys up there? I cant really see you."

Sakura visibly slumped as the relief washed over her; they hadn't been caught.

"Hai, Kiba-san," Neji called back, activating his bloodline to see the man and his hound at the base of the tree trunk.

"I'm taking the night shift. You guys can rest now."

"Arigatou!" Sakura called quietly as she stood and quietly dropped out of the tree, landing softly in a crouch that barely crunched the leaves beneath her feet. Neji followed close behind her, his larger frame a shadow over her smaller one.

"You can share my tent if its easier," He gestured behind him to a small tent on the outskirts of the clearing, "Save's you guys pitching your own."

Sakura wrinkled her nose slightly, "Does it smell of dog?"

"Don't be stupid, it's clean!" Kiba huffed in annoyance followed by a soft growl in defiance from Akamaru before the pair disappeared into the same tree Neji and Sakura had come down from.

Sakura immediately turned and headed for the tent, knowing full well that her male companion would follow suit closely behind. She smiled to herself, casting a seductive gaze over her shoulder at him before giggling behind her hands and darting forwards into a run as she made a beeline for the tent entrance. She tumbled through it clumsily as Neji grabbed her waist and tackled her down onto the soft mattress of Kiba's sleeping bag. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he turned to quickly zip up the tent and blow out the lantern that currently illuminated them in a sickly hue of orange, plunging them into sudden darkness as he pushed her back over again and pressed his lips against hers.

Unbeknownst to the pair, the bemused dog nin was currently making himself comfortable on the same branch they had previously scouted from, scrunching his nose up in disgust as he turned his head to stare at his animal companion.

"It _stinks_ of sex up here."

Akamaru growled in response, shaking his head slightly.

Kiba grinned toothily, "Do you think I should tell them we have night vision?"

The dog barked in response, something the Kiba liked to think was a laugh.

"Nah, your right, they probably wanna keep it a secret anyway's."

Silence engulfed the pair as they stared out and into the distance, the lights of Konoha starting to go out as early morning took over and the night truly plunged into darkness.

Kiba turned to Akamaru.

"Or I could tell Ino?"

xox

R+R!


	4. Wood

Naughty one coming your way, folks! Rated M for a reason !

Enjoy!

xox

Breathe.

She needed to breathe.

Her fingers found a home within tangled, dark locks as she gripped the back of his head and tipped her own back, the skin of her scalp pressing painfully into the bark of the tree. She panted, her fingers tightening their grip on the back of his head as his hands gripped her hips tightly to keep them from thrusting forwards. Her eyes slipped open as thunder rolled in the distance, it's song reverberating across the canopy of the woods, disturbing the droplets of rain that clung to the leaves and the wildlife that took shelter from the in coming storm. For a split second, mother nature distracted her, until a pang of pleasure rippled through her and she gasped, slipping back into her own little bubble as she cast her glance downwards. Emerald met the heated gaze of lilac as he glanced up at her from his vantage point beneath her, his tongue currently dancing across the apex of her thighs. She gasped again as he sucked gently, before replacing his tongue with his fingers so that he could slowly drag himself back up the expanse of her body until his lips met her's and they shared a heated embrace, their tongues dancing as her hips moved up and down on his fingers.

She was slick with sweat as she got lost in the throes of her pleasure, her eyes were hooded with barely contained lust as she gripped his face and kissed him again, nipping at biting at his bottom lip as she muttered his name, her breath now coming in short, sharp pants. She was so close to going over the edge, to loosing herself in him when he suddenly pulled away, leaving her bereft of his fingers.

The pleasure spiked painfully as growled at him, "Now."

He grinned lazily, his gaze just as heated as her's, "Don't be greedy..."

She whined through her nose, tilting her head back so that she could look up at him fully, "Please," She muttered against his lips, "Before someone comes looking for us..."

That seemed to be his undoing as he moved to quickly untie the straps of his Anbu trousers before pulling her roughly by her hips and slamming her back into the bark of the tree. She was about to berate him for bruising her skin but he was suddenly between her legs as she wrapped them around his hip's and felt the full heat of him press into her core.

She was lost again, her moans quickly swallowed by his mouth as he kissed her with each passing thrust, his own throat struggling to contain his growls of pleasure as he pushed her harder into the tree and unleashed himself upon her.

xox

"You know that's not what I meant!"

Naruto's howl of disapproval assaulted her sex addled brain as she walked back into base camp with Neji in toe, the pair barring arms piled high with tinder for the fire.

Kiba howled with laughter, "Man, it is just too easy to wind you up. Right Akamaru?"

The bark of response from the large canine jumped Sakura from her musings and a few branches scattered to her feet, her wide emerald orbs quickly darting around the camp as she bent down to collect them before anyone noticed. Unfortunately, for her, most of her team mates on this particular mission were of team twelve and so didn't miss a thing.

Dam Shinobi and their quick senses.

"Ehhh, Sakura-chan," Kiba grinned, "You ok, there?"

She sent a glare in his direction, "Go back to bothering Naruto, dog."

He raised his hands in mock defence, "Chill, little one, I'm just messing with ya,"

She smiled at him, her previous comment meant in jest. They had an odd relationship that mostly consisted of him making fun of her and in return she ruthlessly reprimanded him. To outsiders it came across harsh and rude, but it was just their way of communicating she supposed. A hand on her arm distracted her thoughts and she instantly turned her head to find deep pools of lilac bearing down upon her.

"Let's not give the game away just yet, shall we?" He said quietly, bending down to help pick up her scattered logs.

She glanced at him from beneath her lashes, "You're going to be the death of me, one day."

He wrinkled his nose slightly, feigning innocence, "Don't be so dramatic," His mischievous smile gave him away, however, and she made a mental note to make him pay for that comment later.

"Sakura-channnnn…" Naruto's moan echoed across the clearing and she rolled her eyes in response, "Hurry up, we're hungry!"

"Baka!"

Neji chuckled quietly as he watched her storm across the grass towards him, but immediately coughed politely as he caught Kakashi's steely gaze who had suddenly materialised next to him. A tingle of fear crawled up his spine as the older man's one good eye crinkled into a smile, his mask shifting at the effort.

"Did you enjoy your hunt for wood?"

xox

Kakashi is such a buzzkill….

R+R!


End file.
